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Cry Like A Rainstorm, Howl Like The Wind: Linda Ronstadt

Last year, we discovered that Linda Ronstadt has Parkinson’s Disease and will be unable to sing anymore. One of the most successful female rockers of the 70’s and early 80’s, the Arizona songbird left a legacy of 38 Top 100 hit songs including her signature hits, “You’re No Good” and “It’s So Easy”. Linda is up for nomination for the 2014 class of the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame.

Ronstadt’s career was ever-evolving. After a decade of chart dominance with country, rock, and pop anthems, Linda got experimental in the 80’s. A dalliance with Broadway in The Pirates of Penzance, followed by her critically acclaimed work with the Nelson Riddle Orchestra (“What’s New”), and a vintage country album with Dolly Parton and Emmylou Harris took Linda out of the pop mainstream for close to a decade. She emerged back in 1989 with the brilliant comeback album, “Cry Like A Rainstorm, Howl Like The Wind”.

Great artists have the luxury of having a litany of brilliant friends and peers to call on to add a new dimension to their sound. Linda hired Peter Asher to produce the album, added the Tower of Power horns, the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir, and included Aaron Neville as her duet partner on four incredible songs. Singing the songs of brilliant songwriters like Jimmy Webb, Isaac Hayes, Paul Carrack, and Karla Bonoff, allowed Linda to sing her heart out on some of the most heart-touching material in her illustrious career.

The CD is out-of-print and ballad heavy, but if you’re a fan of Linda, it’s a must-addition to your personal music library. The highlight track was written by Jimmy Webb, “Adios” is a spine-tingling, tear-inducing goodbye message highlighted by the greatest backup singer known to man, Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys adding his California authenticity to the song. Coupled with the album’s finale, “Goodbye My Friend”, the album can serve as a wonderful healing disc of music when you’ve lost a dear loved one.

1. STILL WITHIN THE SOUND OF MY VOICE

2. CRY LIKE A RAINSTORM

3. ALL MY LIFE

4. I NEED YOU

5. DON’T KNOW MUCH

6. ADIOS

7. TROUBLE AGAIN

8. I KEPT IT HID

9. SO RIGHT, SO WRONG

10.SHATTERED

11.WHEN SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH MY BABY

12.GOODBYE, MY FRIEND

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